Rock Art Ridge Runner Ale

Brewed by Rock Art Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Morrisville, Vermont USA

Bomber, purchased at Julio’s Liquors, Westborough, MA. Gorgeous red body, translucent with violet hues, pours out, but a head that is both cream colored and grey rises then quickly fades away. Cereal grains top the aroma bill, along with caramel malt, toast, grassy hops, orange marmalade. Smells like it is a little overcooked, or was during the boil. Palate is thin providing diminutive flavors. More toasted grain tasted, as well as strawberries(odd), stale hops and tired malts. Really just an expression of three possible things:a)subpar ingredients, b)subpar recipe, or c)I have completely lost my mind. Drinkable it is, but not tasty or even interesting.

Burgundy with a light head. Alcohol nose with chemical-plastic edge. Fruit flavour. Light body. Peppery finish. Like a strong seasonal Spring beer.

Nice looking dark amber with thin tan head. Aroma is malty with a hint of hops... a bit stouty. Flavor is bitter coffee, and mouthfeel is thin and watery. Glad I only paid $2.50/12oz

A Sim Rate (bottled from Sip, NYC): Very porter/stout aroma. Coffee-choc. Slightly bitter chocolate flavour. Smooth and creamy. Not bad.

(tap at Gingerman) Dark burgundy body topped by a tan ring. A little barley and some caramel on the nose. Taste is very fruity (mainly dark berries but also ) and some toffee. A little fruity sweetness but overall not a sweet beer. The body is light with a soft creamy texture. This is much more a Brown Ale than a Barley Wine. A very drinkable beer but to call this a Barley Wine is the biggest case of false advertising since the “"Microsoft - making it all make sense" ads.

dark amber/brown with a small compact off white head. Aroma is chocolate, caramel, touch of hops. Taste is caramel malt, some dark fruit, with a smooth finish.

Bottle. Pours a deeper borwn without any head. Nose is prunes, roasted grain and some coffee. Flavor is that of a thin port, dried fruit and limited carbonation. The coffee notes continue. There is not much sweetness as the viscosity is very thin. The finish is somewhat bitter as well. I thought this needed to be bulked up in sweetness and overall umph. I also thought this could be a cross between a brown ale and an APA, not sure about the barleywine.

A hazy amber beer with a thin lazing beige head. The aroma is sweet malty with quite a lot of hops. The flavor is sweet with a dry malty note combined with a light fruity note and a light oxidation. I’m surprised that it is not better.